Thursday, November 20, 2008

In some ways, this week's photo represents a question that seems all too common in the public mind these days. "Where we do we go from here?"

For some, the question appears all too prevalent in the daily news. From government and big corporations, to small town businesses, the dreaded question looms like a black cloud. It can be depressing, but it doesn't have to be. There is always a mountain in the background, and it offers an escape hatch to infinite possibilities.

Where do we go from here? How about a sunny mountain ramble through Lombardy, on our self-guided Italian Lakes District: Como to Bellagio? How about a hot apfel strudel on the terrace of a cozy lakeside hotel on our new Heart of Austria Tour? What about dinner at one of the finest mountain restaurants in the Alps? You'd get it on our celebratory Jubilaum 25th Anniversary Tour. Looking for something less expensive? We have a few self-guided trips that would fit the bill.

I'll be writing about the essentials of choosing the perfect tour during the coming weeks. We'll talk about everything from deciding where to go, to booking a private wine tasting on the cheap, so please stay tuned.

Where do we go from here? A fork in the road is fortuitous, because the experience offers not one trail head, but many. And all the while a majestic mountain peak calls from the distance, presenting an open invitation to boundless adventure and opportunity.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures will celebrate its 25th Anniversary during the 2009-hiking season.

The Telluride, CO based company will honor its 25th Anniversary with three new hiking trips for 2009. The Heart of Austria, available as guided and self-guided options, will explore the magical mountains and lakes that characterize the Salzkammergut region of central Austria. The self-guided Italian Lakes District: Como to Bellagio, offers a taste of Italian paradise in a land known for great food, inspiring culture, and spectacular hiking.

Finally, Jubilaum, the flagship of the new tours and a special 25th Anniversary celebration, revisits the Swiss mountains and valleys that inspired Ryder-Walker’s inception. Peter Walker will guide the tour, offering guests an exclusive opportunity to hike with the company’s Founder and President.

According to Walker, “Our special "Jubilee" trip, designed by Tour Leaders Daniel Sundqvist and Ken Fuhrer, will explore three of our most cherished mountain retreats, Zermatt, Saas Fee and Kandersteg.” He added, “To put the icing on the 25th Anniversary cake, we chose truly exceptional accommodations in each of the three villages. These are our favorite kitchens and hostelries in the Alps.”

Ryder-Walker guests have hiked thousands of miles since the company’s founding in 1984, and many of them pride themselves on their first-hand knowledge of mountain retreats. They’ve hiked the Alps of Europe, explored the mountains and deserts of North America, and they’ve even ventured as far as Japan.

“If we laid out every foot hiked since our company’s inception, then Ryder-Walker guests have hiked to the moon and back,” said Walker. If we added vertical feet hiked, then Ryder-Walker guests hiked the equivalent of base camp to the summit of Everest 114,118 times.”

He added, “It has been an incredibly varied and dynamic quarter of a century. We wouldn't trade one moment for anything.”

Please contact Ryder-Walker for more detailed information regarding our new celebratory tours. Drop us an email: adventure@ryderwalker.com or give us a call: 888.586.8365. Outside of the U.S. dial: 001.970.728.6481

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I had the opportunity to guide our Secret Swiss Valleys tour with a private group in September. On the way to Leukerbad I took a detour through Zermatt and shot this photo.

A number of our group members later insisted that I never actually took this photo. The doubters claim that it's simply too perfect, like something from a Zermatt tourism magazine. In fact, I took a vote one evening, and almost half of the group insisted that I somehow loaded this photo into my camera from an external source.

Celebrating 33 Years!

We are the Global Trekking Specialists. Founded in 1984, Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures specializes in handcrafted hiking itineraries that explore the most stunning landscapes on the planet. From private and small group guided adventures, to fully custom self guided tours, we make it easy to realize the perfect adventure vacation. Visit ryderwalker.com and begin the journey of a lifetime!